Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
I was not prepared for this book and how it was going to wreck me. I was expecting dark romance but this was just so much more, I loved it. I was not expecting this to be as emotional as it was. There’s so much going on in this story besides the romance, there’s action, mystery, and twisty twists galore. These characters go through it for sure. I absolutely love Madden. Everyone needs a Madden.
There are definitely some deep topics in this book too, so check your triggers, but oh man I definitely shed some tears on more than one occasion. There’s top notch spice too, but it is in no way added at the expense of the plot. One of my favorite parts of the way this was written is that the chapters are short. I cannot tell you how much more enjoyable that makes a book. This one nailed it.
There are definitely some deep topics in this book too, so check your triggers, but oh man I definitely shed some tears on more than one occasion. There’s top notch spice too, but it is in no way added at the expense of the plot. One of my favorite parts of the way this was written is that the chapters are short. I cannot tell you how much more enjoyable that makes a book. This one nailed it.
Gahhh my heart
Tropes:
Rockstar
Forbidden Love
Tortured Hero
Second Chance
Man Obsessed
Bad boy/Good Girl
Star-Crossed Love
Tropes:
Rockstar
Forbidden Love
Tortured Hero
Second Chance
Man Obsessed
Bad boy/Good Girl
Star-Crossed Love
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I usually enjoy the suspenseful nature of a Zavarelli book, but things were just a little hard to keep track of this time around. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters, and that is pretty much always a deal breaker for me. The flashbacks got a little confusing in audio. The whole book was a little on the long side with everything but the kitchen sink thrown in.
This won’t keep me from reading something else by the author, this book just wasn’t my cup of tea.
This won’t keep me from reading something else by the author, this book just wasn’t my cup of tea.
4.5
A. Zavarelli is one of my favorite authors, and this book is a perfect example of why. Contempt was nothing that I expected and everything I didn't know I needed! It grabbed me from the beginning and held on tight until the end.
If you want the best reading experience possible, do yourself a favor, and go into this one blind. The smallest of details can spoil the whole thing, and a lot of what made this book for me was not knowing what was going to happen next. This isn't a cookie cutter romance. There's a lot going on here, but it all works together perfectly to bring you an entertaining, intriguing, angsty, emotional romance.
The love this story centers around is complex, complicated, painful, and beautiful. Get ready for the backstories of these characters to have you raging, clutching your heart, and shedding tears. If you're anything like me, you won't be able to stop reading once you start, so make sure you don't begin right before bed unless you're willing to forgo your sleep for the night.
Overall, Contempt is an intense, forbidden, second chance romance that you don't want to miss. It's full of drama, tragedy, frustration, and mystery. Trying to figure out what's going on and what happened in the past is all part of the fun, so like I said before, don't read reviews, just open the book, and enjoy the ride.
Forbidden and second chance romance fans, this one's for you!
A. Zavarelli is one of my favorite authors, and this book is a perfect example of why. Contempt was nothing that I expected and everything I didn't know I needed! It grabbed me from the beginning and held on tight until the end.
If you want the best reading experience possible, do yourself a favor, and go into this one blind. The smallest of details can spoil the whole thing, and a lot of what made this book for me was not knowing what was going to happen next. This isn't a cookie cutter romance. There's a lot going on here, but it all works together perfectly to bring you an entertaining, intriguing, angsty, emotional romance.
The love this story centers around is complex, complicated, painful, and beautiful. Get ready for the backstories of these characters to have you raging, clutching your heart, and shedding tears. If you're anything like me, you won't be able to stop reading once you start, so make sure you don't begin right before bed unless you're willing to forgo your sleep for the night.
Overall, Contempt is an intense, forbidden, second chance romance that you don't want to miss. It's full of drama, tragedy, frustration, and mystery. Trying to figure out what's going on and what happened in the past is all part of the fun, so like I said before, don't read reviews, just open the book, and enjoy the ride.
Forbidden and second chance romance fans, this one's for you!
The story revolves around Madden and Bianca, whose star-crossed love story is filled with heartbreak, second chances, and redemption. Zavarelli skillfully weaves together past and present narratives, creating a deeply dimensional and emotionally rich tale. The romance between the characters is both toxic and healing, with chemistry that is soulful and combustible. The story blends romantic suspense with a complicated plot, and the pacing, although slower in the beginning, picks up momentum in the second half. The dark themes and well-executed twists keep readers engaged until the end. I recommend this for fans of romantic suspense and second-chance romances seeking a captivating and emotionally immersive experience. The audiobook narrated by Stefanie Kay and James Anderson Foster, is amazing! Stefanie perfectly captures Bianca's emotions, and James brings Madden to life with his intense performance. Their voices draw you into the story, making it even more compelling. The chemistry between the narrators enhances the dual perspectives, and the emotions really come through. If you're into audiobooks, give this one a listen—it's a fantastic experience that immerses you in the captivating journey of the characters.
This book was tragic, heartbreaking, emotional, dark, and angry all in one. This was such a beautifully complex plot twisted in secret from the past and memories lost to trauma. The author did such a beautiful job representing mental health and trauma, and expertly crafted a story that conveyed these mixed emotions in a way that really resonates emotionally with the readers. The title was perfect because all the angst came from emotional turmoil, betrayal, and feelings of deep seeded contempt. Not everything is as it seems, and this story kept me on edge trying to pick apart truths from shattered reality. The use of three POV was so perfect for this story. I am absolutely in love with this couple and wanted the odds to tip in their favor more than anything.
This book is emotionally heavy and dark, but the darkness is done eloquently in a way that will have the readers feeling the true emotional struggles these characters bare. Read if you love heavy emotional reads, mc romance, second chance romance, tragic pasts, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and slow burns with a ton of angst.
This book is emotionally heavy and dark, but the darkness is done eloquently in a way that will have the readers feeling the true emotional struggles these characters bare. Read if you love heavy emotional reads, mc romance, second chance romance, tragic pasts, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and slow burns with a ton of angst.
Miss Zavarelli smashes it out of the park once again. This story was a fab read. Highly recommended
What an addictively angsty and heart-wrenchingly intense return to the Sin City world! Contempt is a twisting, menacingly intriguing, raw, and powerfully moving story of heartbreak and second chances, mistakes and redemption, trauma and healing. A. Zavarelli delivers a story that is somehow tragic yet hopeful, devastating yet restorative, heartbreakingly heart-healing. Contempt is a powerhouse of an emotional journey, immersively rich and thoughtfully penned.
A Zavarelli never fails to create a story that captures me completely- and from the very first, I knew Madden and Bianca’s story would be a showstopper. Theirs is a story that hasn’t ever quite been their own, a story of past and present, one plagued with dubious circumstances, guilt, secrets, misplaced blame, and so much pain. An epic, star crossed love story that spans more than ages, it’s a story that extends beyond the breaking point of the human heart…and the human mind. This is not an easy love story- far from it. It’s heavy, hopeless at times, tragic and brutally raw. The tension, the challenges, the heartbreak is so HEADY that these two get consumed and lost in it- multiple times. But it is also just so achingly beautiful- how two clear soulmates somehow can find their way back to each other despite the most devastating of journeys. These two battle SO Much to be together- more than just memory, they battle each other., they battle destiny and time, and I was so enamored with every bittersweet and poignant moment.
This is by far one of the most emotionally rich love stories I’ve read from A. Zavarelli- Bianca and Madden’s path to each other is quite Herculean. Told in vignettes of the past and present, she seamlessly infuses a love story that starts innocent and through an epic twist of fates turns so very complicated with a present day love story that is broken and battered, rife with anger and misunderstanding, hurt and contempt. A.Z. brilliantly introduces many twists and misdirections- which not only add layers to an already layered and deeply dimensional story but also introduces a clever twinge of unreliable narration. These characters' conceptions of both themselves and the past…as well as the present…are not aligned, not only creating great romantic tension but also keeping us as readers just on the edge of truth and reality- we’re piecing together the puzzle pieces as much as our characters, we’re trying to wade through all of the heavy emotion and calcified hurt to find what is true.
Ultimately, I really LOVED this story- especially the second half. A. Zavarelli deftly weaves romantic suspense with a complicated plot with utterly captivating character chemistry. Neither the romance nor the mystery feel out of proportion or at odds- they seamlessly blend for an emotionally immersive experience, both elements juxtaposed in ways that heighten the other. The chemistry is some of the best I’ve read - rich, complicated, soulful and combustible. And she builds so many dimensions as we see their chemistry over time and as it evolves in the present- so many nuances that make this such a character rich story. Their relationship is somehow both toxic and healing, restorative and destructive all at once. And I loved them together so much. The angst was HEAVY, the mutual longing thick. This is truly a really brilliantly told tale- and it would be a perfect first star if not for times that I felt the pacing pulled me away. Some of that is just the narrative construct- the ping pong between past and present with shorter pithy chapters at times can feel like the the story is more static in both tenses, but the second half was perfection, even with that dynamic, so I think it might have just been the first part moving a bit too slow for me- perhaps taking too long to give me some crumbs to nibble on. But once the story gains full momentum, I was feeling and reeling- and certainly, it’s a story that still is dwelling in my heart and mind days after. The emotional is palpable and clings, the love story epic, and the themes meaningful. Love can win, and true love holds on even when it feels hopeless. Even when it feels like it’s gone. Even when it feels tainted with contempt and pain and loss. Love will find a way.
4.5 Stars
A Zavarelli never fails to create a story that captures me completely- and from the very first, I knew Madden and Bianca’s story would be a showstopper. Theirs is a story that hasn’t ever quite been their own, a story of past and present, one plagued with dubious circumstances, guilt, secrets, misplaced blame, and so much pain. An epic, star crossed love story that spans more than ages, it’s a story that extends beyond the breaking point of the human heart…and the human mind. This is not an easy love story- far from it. It’s heavy, hopeless at times, tragic and brutally raw. The tension, the challenges, the heartbreak is so HEADY that these two get consumed and lost in it- multiple times. But it is also just so achingly beautiful- how two clear soulmates somehow can find their way back to each other despite the most devastating of journeys. These two battle SO Much to be together- more than just memory, they battle each other., they battle destiny and time, and I was so enamored with every bittersweet and poignant moment.
This is by far one of the most emotionally rich love stories I’ve read from A. Zavarelli- Bianca and Madden’s path to each other is quite Herculean. Told in vignettes of the past and present, she seamlessly infuses a love story that starts innocent and through an epic twist of fates turns so very complicated with a present day love story that is broken and battered, rife with anger and misunderstanding, hurt and contempt. A.Z. brilliantly introduces many twists and misdirections- which not only add layers to an already layered and deeply dimensional story but also introduces a clever twinge of unreliable narration. These characters' conceptions of both themselves and the past…as well as the present…are not aligned, not only creating great romantic tension but also keeping us as readers just on the edge of truth and reality- we’re piecing together the puzzle pieces as much as our characters, we’re trying to wade through all of the heavy emotion and calcified hurt to find what is true.
Ultimately, I really LOVED this story- especially the second half. A. Zavarelli deftly weaves romantic suspense with a complicated plot with utterly captivating character chemistry. Neither the romance nor the mystery feel out of proportion or at odds- they seamlessly blend for an emotionally immersive experience, both elements juxtaposed in ways that heighten the other. The chemistry is some of the best I’ve read - rich, complicated, soulful and combustible. And she builds so many dimensions as we see their chemistry over time and as it evolves in the present- so many nuances that make this such a character rich story. Their relationship is somehow both toxic and healing, restorative and destructive all at once. And I loved them together so much. The angst was HEAVY, the mutual longing thick. This is truly a really brilliantly told tale- and it would be a perfect first star if not for times that I felt the pacing pulled me away. Some of that is just the narrative construct- the ping pong between past and present with shorter pithy chapters at times can feel like the the story is more static in both tenses, but the second half was perfection, even with that dynamic, so I think it might have just been the first part moving a bit too slow for me- perhaps taking too long to give me some crumbs to nibble on. But once the story gains full momentum, I was feeling and reeling- and certainly, it’s a story that still is dwelling in my heart and mind days after. The emotional is palpable and clings, the love story epic, and the themes meaningful. Love can win, and true love holds on even when it feels hopeless. Even when it feels like it’s gone. Even when it feels tainted with contempt and pain and loss. Love will find a way.
4.5 Stars